New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Doimssdare’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘Doimssdare’ characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and early flowering habit; dark red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOIMSSDARE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Doimssdare’.

The new Impatiens plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new early and freely flowering New GuineaImpatiens plants with attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Impatiens plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofa proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code numberNN-1168-X0000, not patented. The new Impatiens plant was discovered andselected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within apopulation of plants of the parent selection in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Encinitas, Calif. on Jan. 12, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif.since Apr. 24, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this newImpatiens plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylight and light intensity without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Doimssdare’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Doimssdare’ as a new and distinct Impatiensplant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   6. Dark red-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the mutationparent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily fromplants of the mutation parent selection in flower color as plants of themutation parent selection have orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of Impatienshawkeri ‘Duemagdarre’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,777. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Impatiens differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘Duemagdarre’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens flower about two weeks earlier        than plants of ‘Duemagdarre’.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller flowers than plants        of ‘Duemagdarre’.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of Impatienshawkeri ‘SAKIMP022’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,500. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Impatiens differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘SAKIMP022’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more upright than and not as        spreading as plants of ‘SAKIMP022’.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and ‘SAKIMP022’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘SAKIMP022’ have cherry red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Impatiens plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Impatiens plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Doimssdare’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Doimssdare’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in10-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas,Calif. and under cultural practices typical of commercial New GuineaImpatiens production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 25° C., night temperatures averaged 20° C. andlight levels ranged from 4,000 to 4,500 lux. Plants were twelve weeksold when the photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri ‘Doimssdare’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary    selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number    NN-1168-X0000, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About five to            seven days at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and            mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about            eleven primary lateral branches developing per plant;            moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 31 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 14 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 146A.        -   Color, fully developed.—Close to 146A heavily tinged with            close to 59A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls; simple.        -   Length.—About 11 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Apiculate to acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrulate with ciliation.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; leathery; moderately glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Darker than 147A; venation, close to 59A. Developing and            fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B;            venation, close to 59A.        -   Petiole length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Petiole texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 59A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rounded and flat            axillary flowers; freely flowering habit, typically about            seven to nine open flowers and flower buds per lateral            branch; flowers positioned above and beyond the foliar            plane, flowers typically face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about four to seven            days on the plant under greenhouse conditions; petals            self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse            conditions; in the garden, flowering from spring until fall            in Germany; early flowering habit, plants typically begin            flowering about twelve weeks after planting.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.            Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 144A heavily tinged with close            to 59A.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7.2 cm by 7.2 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five per flower in a            single whorl. Length: About 3.6 cm. Width: About 4.4 cm.            Shape: Obcordate. Apex: Cordate; rounded. Base: Acute.            Margin: Entire, occasionally with a shallow notch. Texture            and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety; slightly glossy. Color: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 45B; venation, close to 45B;            color becoming closer to 45A with development, When opening            and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 45D; venation,            close to 45D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl;            one modified into an elongated spur. Length: About 1 cm.            Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Broadly lanceolate. Apex:            Apiculate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; moderately            glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 59A. Spur            length: About 5.5 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 2.75            mm; at apex, about 1 mm. Spur texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; moderately glossy. Spur color: Close to 59A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.75 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm.            Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Moderately strong;            flexible. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately            glossy. Color: Close to 59A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at            anthers; filaments free. Anther length: About 5 mm. Anther            shape: Oval. Anther color: Close to 11A and 45B. Pollen            amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11D. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 5.75 mm.            Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color: Close to 157A. Style            color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not            been observed on plants of the new Impatiens.-   Disease & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Impatiens have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Impatiens plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate temperatures ranging    from about 5° C. to about 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Doimssdare’as illustrated and described.